Monday, February 27, 2012

Dodgers Notes from Spring Training- Day 6

Throughout Spring Training the Dodgers PR department sends out helpful daily notes from Camelback Ranch, and I am happy to pass them along.

THE GANG’S ALL HERE!: All 62 players (20 non-roster invitees) have reported to Dodger camp with position players reporting for physicals this morning at Camelback Ranch – Glendale. The full squad will start workouts tomorrow leading up to Los Angeles’ first Spring Training game a week from today on March 5 at 1:05 p.m. against the White Sox. The Dodgers’ first home game at Camelback Ranch will be the following day against the Giants.

THROWING IT OUT THERE:Dodger pitchers switched up their routine today and threw their bullpens on the Major League side with Chris Capuano, John Grabow, Matt Guerrier, Todd Coffey, Javy Guerra, Scott Elbert, Kenley Jansen, Ramon Troncoso, Ronald Belisario, Will Savage, Alberto Castillo, Josh Wall, Matt Chico and Stephen Fife on the mounds. Last year, the Dodgers ranked among the Major League leaders in strikeouts (1,265, 4th), ERA (3.54, 5th) and opponents’ batting average (.241, 5th).

RACE BASETRACK:This morning, Dee Gordon, Davey Lopes and Maury Wills took their speed offsite to the Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale for a Dodgers Magazine photoshoot. The Spring Training edition of the magazine featuring the three speedsters will be available at the club’s first home Cactus League game on March 6. The trio has stolen a combined 1,167 bases over the course of their careers with Wills (490) and Lopes (418) ranking first and second in franchise history. Gordon tied for second among Major League rookies last season with his 24 steals and became the first Dodger since Harvey Hendrick on June 12, 1928 to steal three bases in an inning, doing so in the seventh inning on July 1 against the Angels.

NOTHING MINOR ABOUT IT: Today, 51 Dodger minor leaguers opened early camp ahead of pitchers and catchers reporting on March 3 (the full group of 160 players reports on March 9). Last season, six of the Dodgers’ seven minor league affiliates ended the season with winning records and the teams’ cumulative .543 winning percentage (414-349) was the second highest behind only Texas’ .565 mark (431-332). In addition, four of the seven clubs reached the postseason and the AZL Dodgers won the Arizona Summer League championship.

REMEMBERING THE DUKE: Today marks the one-year anniversary of the death of Hall of Fame outfielder Duke Snider. The All-Star center fielder won two World Series championships in his 16 seasons with the Dodgers from 1947-62 and ranks as the franchise’s all-time leader in home runs (389) and RBI (1,271). Last season, the Dodgers wore a No. 4 uniform patch and held a special bobblehead night to honor the memory of one of the franchise’s all-time great players.

I’VE SEEN YOU BEFORE: More familiar faces arrived at Camelback Ranch – Glendale this morning with members of the Dodgers’ Marketing and Community Affairs departments arriving in Arizona. Erik Braverman, Greg Taylor, Tom Darin, Erick Vazquez and Jonathan Dietrich will be in town for the next week gathering footage for various Dodger Media Network shows and asking questions of the players that will air on the big board this season, while Cindi Adler, Laura Levinson and David Brennan will assist with the collection of autographs on Wednesday to help with donation requests throughout the greater Los Angeles community.

BRING YOUR SPIKES: On Wednesday, the Dodgers will hold their annual open tryout here at Camelback Ranch – Glendale, hosted by the amateur scouting department. The tryout will take place from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. and potential prospects can call 323-224-1512 for details and instructions.